Which Fuel Grade Should I Use for My Chevrolet?

As you know, fuel is an essential component when driving your vehicle. If you have a traditional gas-powered engine, it’s impossible for you to get to your destination without it. When you pull up to the gas pumps, you’ll usually be greeted with two or three different fuel grades to choose from. While most of us opt for the gas labeled “regular,” we might not know what that means or why other options exist. Some people are even tempted into choosing the gas labeled “premium” because they assume it is better for their car.

With fuel prices continuing to rise, we all want to make sure that we are choosing the best fuel type for our vehicles. It might seem like gas labeled “premium” is better for our car, but in reality, not all cars will experience better performance with premium fuel.

How Do Fuel Grades Differ?

Fuels are graded based on their octane ratings, which is a measure of the fuel’s stability. Gas-powered engines are combustion engines, meaning that the engines will ignite or fire at specific times. Your engine has pistons that are constantly moving up and down when the engine is running. As the pistons move, they work to compress a fuel-air mixture that is then ignited with a spark, a process known as combustion.

Octane ratings indicate the pressure at which a fuel will spontaneously combust, something known as pre-ignition. If the fuel has a higher octane rating, that means it can withstand more pressure before spontaneously combusting. Since combustion engines are designed to fire at specific times, spontaneous combustion will cause your engine to make an unwanted knocking sound, indicating that something isn’t quite right.

Most regular gas has an octane rating of 87. Premium gas is rated higher, usually around 91 or 93. Most gas stations will also offer a mid-grade gas as well, rated somewhere between 87 and 93. Regular gas will be the cheapest option at the pump, while pricing for premium can be up to 50 cents more per gallon.

Is Premium Gas Better?

Whether or not premium gas is better for your vehicle largely depends on how your car’s engine is calibrated. Simply put, some engines are calibrated to run on premium fuel, but most are not calibrated in a way that would notice an improvement with premium fuel. The vast majority of vehicles are produced to utilize regular fuel. Putting premium fuel in a vehicle that was not designed for premium most likely will not bring any noticeable improvement to your car’s performance or fuel economy.

Some cars, however, are produced with the intent of utilizing premium fuel. These cars are usually high-performance vehicles or vehicles with turbocharged engines. These cars are built with high-compression engines, meaning that if a lower octane fuel is used, then they are more likely to experience engine knocking than if premium fuel is used. Engine knocking is more than just an irritating noise — over time, the action behind the knocking can cause serious damage to your engine that will require costly repairs.

In addition to a decreased chance of pre-ignition, premium gas helps some engines achieve their best fuel economy. If your car isn’t designed for premium gas, you likely won’t notice a difference in fuel economy if you switch from regular to premium. However, for engines designed for premium gas, your fuel economy will suffer if you decide to fuel up with regular.

Does My Chevy Need Premium Fuel?

Premium fuel is recommended or required for most high-performance vehicles or vehicles with turbocharged engines. In order to know if your car requires premium fuel, it’s best to check your owner’s manual. Your manual will indicate the octane rating recommended for your specific car model.

If your owner’s manual states that regular fuel is recommended, there is no need to fill up with premium. While you might be tempted to try premium fuel to see if you notice an improvement in your car’s performance, keep in mind that not all engines are optimized to experience the benefits of higher-octane fuel. Vehicles that were designed to run on regular fuel simply will not benefit from premium fuel. Filling your tank with the more expensive option will be a waste of your hard-earned money.

If your owner’s manual states that your car requires an octane rating of 91 or higher, you definitely do not want to try to cut corners at the gas pump. Vehicles that require premium gas need it for optimal performance and to prevent severe damage to the engine. If you pull up to the gas station and find that they’re out of premium and therefore you have no choice, it will probably be okay if you use regular in an emergency. However, regular fuel should not be used on a regular basis, or else serious damage could occur.

Some car manuals these days say that premium fuel is recommended but not required. If this is the case for your car, then the choice is truly yours. Your car will still run just fine on regular fuel, but if you opt for premium, you’ll notice improvements in your engine’s performance and possibly its fuel economy.

The majority of Chevrolet cars and trucks will run just fine on regular gas. However, if you have a Chevy with a powerful engine, such as a V-8 or turbocharged engine, it’s more likely to require premium fuel. As always, consult your owner’s manual for the final say in which type of fuel is best for your engine.

If you’re unsure about which fuel grade is best for your car, our service technicians here at Eskridge Chevrolet in Guthrie, Oklahoma, will be happy to help. We want drivers in the Guthrie area to feel confident when driving their cars, and that confidence starts with knowing you’re putting the right fuel in your vehicle. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us if you have any questions.

 

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